BEFORE THE BATTLE

Northland Age, Volume 25, Issue 28, 29 October 1925, Page 4

BEFORE THE BATTLE

WHO WINS FOR BAY ? EXCITING CONTEST CERTAIN. The general election campaign is now in full swing and the contest is an exciting one. It seems like rashness to forecast the result, but it does not seem 1 kely that the Reform Party will get back with a working majority. Then fusion must come and a National Government formed with Mr. Coates as Premier. This I will be a good thing for the Dominion. It will mean a stable Gov- : eminent and it will mean that all | sections of the community will ! benefiit bv legislation formulated 1 by the ablest and best men obtai- ; liable irom both parties. The j Labour Party will then become I His Majesty’s Oppositon. THE BAY SEAT . As far as the Bay seat is concerned it is a sort of political No-man’s Land, and the result of Wednesday’s poll is hard to , forecast. Supporters of the sitting member claim to be confident of victory, but reports from various centres in the electorate indi- ; cate that the Country Party have | a splendid fighting chance of 1 returning their man (Mr. H. J. I Sweeney). The meetings of the : | Labour candidate (Mr. A. E. Bis--1 set) have not been lacking in int- | erest and there wilt be a solid vote for him. The chances of Messrs. Wrathall and Hornblovv do not seem to be seriously regarded, but the unexpected happens 1 —sometimes.

ABSENTEE VOTES Absentee voters’ permits have been abolished, and absent voters need merely make a declaration at the polling booth in the electorate in which they are at the time residing, the declaration being to the effect that they are entitled to voie for the electoral district for which they are registered, and that they are not qualified to be enrolled as electors of any other electoral district. MAORI ELECTION Ihe Maori elivii'.as will lake place on November 3, the day preceding the European election, and the writ is returnable on Tuesday, November 24. There will be no change in the method of voting. Uniike the Europeans, the Maoris are not required to enrol. The electors simply appear before the deputy-returning officer and record their vote by naming ihe candidate of their choice. LICENSING POLL In all the licensing districts the issues before the electors will be Natioaa: Continuance, State Purchase and Control, and National Prohibition. In addition to voting on those questions, the following districts. in which no-license now operates, will have a “local restoration poll,” the issues presented being continuance of nolicense, or restoration of license: Eden, Grey Lynn, Koskill, Ohinemuri, Masterton, Wellington Soutn, Wellington Suburbs, Ashburton. Oamaru, Clutlia, Mataura, and Invercargill.